Re: [Harp-L] Re: Borrah Minevitch Harmonica Thesis

[Philharpn@xxxxxxx]

1. Is there any independent proof that Minevitch actually graduated from City 
College of New York?

2.   Is there any independent proof that Minevitch did have a graduation 
thesis?

3. Minevitch published a 32-page book titled "How to Play Harmonica at Sight" 
in 1923. Alibris (web site) doesn't say what the original prices was, but you 
can get a "used copy for $18 plus shipping. This might be the same thing. 
Then again, maybe Minevitch might have gotten a BS in music.
Below is the address: 

http://www.alibris.com/search/detail.cfm?chunk=25&mtype=&;
qauth=Borrah%20Minevitch&S=L&bid=9067250866&pbest=&pqtynew=&page=1&matches=5&qsort=c

Alibris description of book: "An easy method by which all popular airs can be 
played at sight. No notes or tedious scales. A concise system of self 
instruction telling how to obtain half tones, "Blue" note, accompaniment, trills; 
tremolos, glass toning and other variations on any harmonica. With a selection of 
songs especially adapted for the instrument."



Phil Lloyd




In a message dated 6/8/08 2:42:32 PM, MilwHarmonica@xxxxxxx writes:


> Hello, Dave Payne.
> 
> It's my guess that the 5 million copies of Borrah Minevitch's graduation 
> thesis from the City College of
> New York in 1924 were distributed to Honner customers sometime between  1925
> and possibly 1928,
> the estimated years that he was working for Hohner as a harmonica  
> publicist.
> 
> It's also possible that Minevitch was creating this thesis story to build 
> his reputation. He was a con man and flim-flam artist. The only way to 
> verify 
> the story would be to find records of his work at Hohner's New York office. 
> Hohner doesn't have an office in New York today, but in Glen Allen,  
> Virginia.
> 
> The graduation thesis on the harmonica was Hohner's reason to hire him. 
> Someone at Slidemeister wondered if Hohner ever made Minevitch  model 
> harmonicas
> (Hohner harmonicas with Minevitch's name on them).
> 
> I've seen a picture of a Hohner-Minevitch bass harp, vintage unknown, but 
> probably made during his work at Hohner. I've seen no evidence of any other 
> Hohner-made Minevitch harmonicas. The bass harp was probably made during 
> his 
> early days with the Rascals.
> 
> In 1927, Borrah Minevitch formed The Harmonica Rascals, a vaudeville 
> slapstick comedy harmonica group, and later, he had harmonicas made with 
> his  name on
> them, possibly by the Hugo Rauner company of Klingenthal,  Germany.
> 
> It's my assumption that Minevitch would not hire Rauner to make his 
> harmonicas while he was working for Hohner. Later, maybe in the late 1930s, 
> he  had
> his own harmonica factory in southern California.
> 
> John Broecker
> 
> 
> 
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